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This study aimed to examine whether adolescents select friends based on their friends' levels of depressive symptoms, and to determine whether the potential homophily phenomenon for depressive symptoms is attenuated after considering pubertal maturation and gender. Data were from the first three waves of the Taiwan Youth Project, a longitudinal study that annually surveys 7.sup.th graders from 40 junior high schools. Participants were asked at each wave to fill out a survey including depressive symptoms, pubertal maturation, and to name three best friends in school. Stochastic actor-oriented models were built to explore the dynamic changes in friendship networks by estimating the probability of the friendship connections and behavioral changes depending on the individual's current network position and behavioral status. We used a sample of 2,336 adolescents. From 8 to 9.sup.th grade, adolescents tended to select friends who were similar in terms of their levels of depressive symptoms (B = 0.358, SE = 0.131, p < .001), without adjusting for gender and pubertal maturation. This homophily effect based on depressive symptoms became non-significant when pubertal maturation was included. Adolescents' depressive symptoms did not further influence their friends' depression levels, after controlling for pubertal maturation and gender. Future studies should further examine the mechanisms and group dynamics within clusters of adolescents who are depressed. Providing a supportive environment and tools is warranted to help adolescents cope with negative emotions within their peer group., Author(s): Yi-Fang Yu [sup.1] , Te-Tien Ting [sup.2] , Jay Chiehen Liao [sup.3] , Meng-Che Tsai [sup.4] , Chung-Ying Lin [sup.5] , Yi-Ping Hsieh [sup.6] , Carol Strong [sup.1] Author [...]

Abstract Background With the backdrop of a global ecstasy epidemic, this study sought to examine the trend, correlates, and onset sequence of ecstasy use among adolescents in Taiwan, where a well-established gateway drug such as marijuana is much less popular. Methods A multistage probability survey of school-attending adolescents in grades 7, 9, 10, and 12, aged 11–19 years, was conducted in 2004, 2005, and 2006. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire elicited response rates ranging from 94.3% to 96.6%. The sample sizes were 18232 respondents in 2004, 17986 in 2005, and 17864 in 2006. Results In terms of lifetime prevalence and incidence, ecstasy and ketamine by and large appeared as the first and second commonly used illegal drugs, respectively, among middle (grades 7 and 9) and high school students (grades 10 and 12) during the 3-year survey period; however, this order was reversed in the middle school-aged students starting in 2006. Having sexual experience, tobacco use, and betel nut use were factors consistently associated with the onset of ecstasy use across years. The majority of ecstasy users had been involved in polydrug use, such as the use of ketamine (41.4%–53.5%), marijuana (12.7%–18.7%), and methamphetamine (4.2%–9.5%). Conclusion From 2004 to 2006, a decline was noted in the prevalence and incidence rate of ecstasy, a leading illegal drug used by school-attending adolescents in Taiwan since the early 2000s. The emerging ketamine use trend may warrant more attention in the future.

Objectives To assess outcomes of pediatric tracheotomy and duration of associated hospital stay according to indications. Subjects and methods In this retrospective study, subjects were 142 consecutive pediatric patients (<18 years old) who underwent tracheotomy at a tertiary referral medical center, National Taiwan University Hospital, in 1997–2012. Age, sex, indications, pre-operative status (oxygen demand, number of repeated intubations), and post-operative status (duration of weaning, length of hospital stay, mortality) were analyzed. Results The indications included craniofacial anomalies (n = 19, 13.4%), upper airway obstruction (n = 41, 28.9%), neurological deficit (n = 58, 40.8%), prolonged ventilation (n = 15, 10.6%), and trauma (n = 9, 6.3%). Ninety-one patients (64.1%) were successfully weaned off ventilation after tracheotomy (40% in the prolonged ventilation group). Total hospital stay and duration of ventilation before tracheotomy were longest in patients with craniofacial anomalies (150.9 ± 98.8 days, p = 0.004; 108.8 ± 88.2, p < 0.001). The early tracheotomy group had a shorter duration of post-tracheotomy mechanical ventilation support than the late tracheotomy group (14.4 ± 19.0, n = 49 vs. 34.9 ± 58.6, n = 80, p = 0.004). Decannulation was successful in 20 patients (14.1%), with the highest rate in the upper airway obstruction group (n = 14, 34.1%) and lowest in the prolonged ventilation group (none). Thirteen patients (9.2%) died during admission from causes unrelated to tracheotomy. Conclusion Outcomes of pediatric tracheotomy and duration of hospitalization depend on indications. Children with craniofacial anomalies had earlier tracheotomy age and longer mechanical ventilation before tracheotomy resulted in longer hospitalization. Earlier tracheotomy can shorten the duration of post-tracheotomy mechanical ventilation in several conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Administering premixed drugs in commodity packets was first reported in Asia in 2015, but there continues to be a dearth of related population-based data. This study aimed at examining (1) the prevalence of drug-packet use in the population and (2) the sociodemographic profiles, particularly gender distribution, of drug-packet users., Methods: Data were derived from a survey of 18,626 Taiwanese civilians, aged 12-64 years, using stratified, multi-stage, random sampling in 2018. Participants anonymously completed a computer-assisted self-interview on tablet computers which covered the use and problematic use of illicit drugs/inhalants, prescription drugs, and other psychoactive substances., Results: Approximately 1.46% of respondents had a lifetime use of illicit drugs, with drugs in commodity packets (0.18%) being ranked the fifth-most commonly used illicit drugs, higher than nitrous oxide (0.14%) and heroin (0.09%). Ten formats of drug packets were endorsed by users. Approximately 81.6% of persons with drug packet use had lifetime use of other illicit drugs. The correlates of the use of drugs in commodity packets were different from those of the exclusive use of other drugs, particularly concerning the lack of gender differences in the former category in the whole sample and the subgroups of various sociodemographic characteristics and other substance use., Conclusion: Drugs in commodity packets have become a common way of administering illicit drugs in the population in Taiwan, and there were no gender differences among users. Our findings have implications for more efficient drug testing and culturally appropriate intervention for drug-packet use.